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Ok,
I am in the market for a tablet, and hate apple with a pashion. That being said, it leaves me with the options of many good android alternatives.
I am torn between this and the Motorola XOOM tablet. IMO the Acer has a piss poor build quality (though I know alot like it...).
Which is best straight out of the box? I can flash custom roms ofc, but would prefer to stick to stock software for the first 6 months anyway.
I am also considering getting it without the dock as I dont think it would be something I would use much....mabye I am wrong...lol.
Anyhow, whats the TF like running stock software?
Thanks,
Danny
Sorry, should have said, I want a tablet to showcase my amature photography, watch movies and to surf the web
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App
Asus appears to be better than Moto at tying software to hardware. Their support for software has also stomps all over Moto.
The stock firmware on the TF is perfect for every day usage. Paired with the keyboard dock, I have no problems using it like a regular laptop. It's a powerful piece of hardware that plays nicely with all of my existing storage devices, and even a few of my game controllers. I did end up rooting it anyway, though, just so that I could block ads and disable tap to click on the touchpad.
Photo viewing works flawlessly, provided you can store your photos on a SD card or external hard drive, which you would then plug into the TF. At this point the support for plugging in an actual camera is a bit spotty, no telling whether or not it will work until you try it. Movie support is sort of a mixed bag, as it all depends on which video playing app you use. Personally I like to rip all of my Blu ray movies so that I can watch them from my hard drive, so I use Handbrake to re-encode them all so they can be played natively in the stock Google video player. If instead you have a lot of videos in unrecognized formats like xvid, you'll need to test them with a third party video player.
earlyberd said:
The stock firmware on the TF is perfect for every day usage. Paired with the keyboard dock, I have no problems using it like a regular laptop. It's a powerful piece of hardware that plays nicely with all of my existing storage devices, and even a few of my game controllers. I did end up rooting it anyway, though, just so that I could block ads and disable tap to click on the touchpad.
Photo viewing works flawlessly, provided you can store your photos on a SD card or external hard drive, which you would then plug into the TF. At this point the support for plugging in an actual camera is a bit spotty, no telling whether or not it will work until you try it. Movie support is sort of a mixed bag, as it all depends on which video playing app you use. Personally I like to rip all of my Blu ray movies so that I can watch them from my hard drive, so I use Handbrake to re-encode them all so they can be played natively in the stock Google video player. If instead you have a lot of videos in unrecognized formats like xvid, you'll need to test them with a third party video player.
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Click to collapse
all my xvid and divx flawlessly in rockplayer and even stream from a NAS using upnplayer
what will you use app wise to show of your amateur photography? The stock gallery? Are there better apps out there?
wilbur-force said:
all my xvid and divx flawlessly in rockplayer and even stream from a NAS using upnplayer
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
MKVs doesnt play audio, decodes video though.
I bought a Xoom first, then an Ipad 2 and have now settled with the Transformer. In my opinion (discounting the Ipad 2 as it's far too limited so I passed that onto the wife ) the Xoom and TF'er are pretty much the same......
the differences which set them apart as the spec are virtually identical are:
- thickness of the tablet
The TF obviously wins this and whilst it may not be the worlds biggest issue, you can definitely 'feel' the difference when you are holding it in your hands and the additional weight of the Xoom can make your arms ache after a while...basically, it's not the most comfortable tablet to hold.
- SD card support
The 3.1 update for the Xoom didn't include the SD card fix so as long as the tablet is stock it is still unsupported (Google still working on the update as far as I'm aware). I know there are fixes and work arounds available but this would depend on what your intentions are regarding modding/rooting etc. The TF'er has it working out of the box so you could drop up to a 32Gb Micro SD card in on day 1. Definitely a bonus and as the OP mentioned a vanilla tablet for the first 6 months in their current state this could be a big issue for the Xoom especially for a photographer who needs storage space.
- Price
Definitely the biggest thing for me...not because I'm on a shoe-string but because of the fact that the tablets have the same O/S, the same spec, the same features and the same software......why would anyone take the Xoom over a TF?, especially with a considerable hike in price and the TF has a much nicer screen which is a major feature of the tablet in itself.
Basically you can't go far wrong with either, but if you're gonna drop £380 or $399 on a tablet then get the one which is $100 cheaper than the current competition.
......and that leads me on to arguably the biggest feature of the TF. The dock. Whilst it may not be a requirement to a lot of people, or something that adds a lot of interest....the flexibility is there to have the TF'er as a notebook replacement - and it also means additional storage space is available via the SD card slot, USB ports which in my opinion will also offer future flexibility as device/accessories/peripherals can be added in the near future with the relevant support.
All in all, a 16GB TF at £380/$399 can have a 32Gb micro SD, and 64GB SD (or another 32GB Micro SD with adaptor) and offers twice the flexibility of the Xoom whilst offering a virtually identical base-feature set. After owning them all, it would be a no-brainer for me. I've not become a fanboy or anything daft like that and wouldn't 'slag' the Xoom off but in a direct comparison with the TF it's virtually identical, so I'd go with 'bang for buck' and flexibility. The TF gets both points by quite a large margin.
What did you find limiting about the iPad 2? Genuine question. I have a tf and ipad2 and I feel they both have limitations.
h00ligan said:
What did you find limiting about the iPad 2? Genuine question. I have a tf and ipad2 and I feel they both have limitations.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In comparison to the TF (or large majority of Android devices)
Connectivity - no USB/storage devices meaning there is no option but to get apps/data/movies transferred to the tablet etc via a wireless connection or 3rd party application.
Requirement of additional peripherals for HDMI/cameras etc whereas the TF can take a direct connection or plug in the micro sd card directly for transfer.
The dependency on iTunes for some functionality. ie I'd be reluctant to take my Ipad2 anywhere for an extended period of time without a laptop for backup and updates etc. Another example that infringes on this is if you want to copy friends data/music then it's much more difficult to do this with an Apple IOS than it is with Android due to the bluetooth and connectivity issue.
Customisation - speaks for itself.
Don't get me wrong, I agree that every device has its limitations including the TF'er. The Ipad is a lovely bit of hardware, definitely has the better app store, more polished apps and better UI overall but the issues I listed above are restrictive to me personally and if I had to make a choice (which I don't) and could only take one of them, I'd select the TF in a heartbeat because of these points.
ASUS is hands down better than the xoom under every circumstance.
HOWEVER, if you're not interested in the dock (and the functionality it offers) for the TF or having a micro-sd card on the tablet itself, then you should probably go for the galaxy tab 10.1.
It's a $100 more than the TF but it supposedly has a better screen, is lighter and some people are saying that it has better build quality than the TF also.
Just don't get any android tablet other than the TF or Galaxy tab 10.1, especially if you're trying to show off your photography.
starplaya93 said:
ASUS is hands down better than the xoom under every circumstance.
HOWEVER, if you're not interested in the dock (and the functionality it offers) for the TF or having a micro-sd card on the tablet itself, then you should probably go for the galaxy tab 10.1.
It's a $100 more than the TF but it supposedly has a better screen, is lighter and some people are saying that it has better build quality than the TF also.
Just don't get any android tablet other than the TF or Galaxy tab 10.1, especially if you're trying to show off your photography.
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Click to collapse
Actually, the TF has a much better screen. Look at any video reviews. I remember in a comparison I saw, both the TF and Xoom had the same wallpaper. The TF showed every color, while the Xoom washed out and showed a blend of white...
Since you're going to use it to show off photography, the SD reader in the keyboard dock would come in handy. I found my TF to be very snappy and responsive. I cannot stream pictures and movies correctly, but that's because I don't know how
SwiftLegend said:
Actually, the TF has a much better screen. Look at any video reviews. I remember in a comparison I saw, both the TF and Xoom had the same wallpaper. The TF showed every color, while the Xoom washed out and showed a blend of white...
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Click to collapse
But he didn't even mention the Xoom... he did however compare the TF with the Samsung Galaxy tab 10"
And here i offer a little insight: seems that Samsung loves to have over saturated screens. That could actually be an issue, if the tab has to be used to show photographs... I know that if I set brightness at maximum on my 7" galaxy tab, skintones ends up in the douchebag tan kind of orange. On the other hand, low brightness makes for nice and vivid colours.
Sent from my GT-P1000 using Tapatalk
I'd say the TF is the all-round winner for your photography needs:
- It has a much better screen than the Xoom, so that's out.
- It's cheaper than the Samsung
- It has a working AND existent microSD card on it (should be invaluable for transferring pics if your camera also uses microSD. Also if you DID want to to root and flash a new ROM, the Samsung's out again (is this their "No Root" ploy?)
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using XDA Premium App
Thanks paradaz
AlexTheStampede said:
But he didn't even mention the Xoom... he did however compare the TF with the Samsung Galaxy tab 10"
And here i offer a little insight: seems that Samsung loves to have over saturated screens. That could actually be an issue, if the tab has to be used to show photographs... I know that if I set brightness at maximum on my 7" galaxy tab, skintones ends up in the douchebag tan kind of orange. On the other hand, low brightness makes for nice and vivid colours.
Sent from my GT-P1000 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This over saturated screen on the 10.1 will drive me nuts not only viewing photographs but also watching movies. Its sound like that vivid mode u see on lcd. Some people prefer that look on their tv maybe that why led lcd sell so great. I prefer that natural look you see on plasma tv.
Wow, thanks for the replies guys!
The Galaxy tab was never going to be an option for me with the lack of being able to use removable storage.
Looks like the transformer will be my weapon of choice! Although you are now making me reconsider getting the dock as well....
My reasons for not getting the dock where;
1. It would be another item to cart around. I will be generally only using the tablet so will probably get a leather cover for it. If I where going away I would need to also bring the keyboard as well, perhaps in a separate case?
2. Low stock in the UK at present...i can drive 2 miles and pick up the tablet only package.
Although I didn't know it had an SD card reader! That coupled with the additional battery capacity is rather appealing!
To answer an earlier question, I have no specific app in mind to show off my photos... Can anyone else advise if there is better options than the stock gallery? I use lightroom on my PC, but would imagine nothing similar is available on android.
Also is it possible to convert mkv's to play on these tablets? 95% off all my digital media is in mkv format.....
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App
djglenn1337 said:
Also is it possible to convert mkv's to play on these tablets? 95% off all my digital media is in mkv format.....
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
mkv is only the container so many third players like moboplayer are able to open mkv files..
what's really matters is the codec used inside the container, as of now, the TF on 3.1 is able to hard-decode H264 720p High profile and 1080p base profile..
you can use handbreak to encode media files if necessary:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1060825
djglenn1337 said:
Also is it possible to convert mkv's to play on these tablets? 95% off all my digital media is in mkv format.....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do know some people seems to be experiencing problems with mkv's. Unsure what codecs (video/audio) their mkv's might have, because I played about 30 different mkv's made by different people with and without soft-subs and I've not experienced any hitches or glitches to either sound or video.
All I use is moboplayer and start them - plays flawlessly.
I'm going to Best Buy here in a few... I know I'll fall in love with the GT 10.1. I really like the idea of the Archos, but...... the wait is killing me.
I'm not looking to view DVD quality movies on my tab. I'm not looking to encode anything. My house is wired up so that I can access all my files wirelessly throughout anyhow... I just want something that when I toss on a DIVX, AVI, ETC, standard 1gb file that I stole from the internet (um, I mean legally download) that it will play when I'm out and about, etc. My Droid Incredible plays most any file I put on it so I'm hoping the same from this tablet?
Any huge problems? I have little patience and my days of encoding things are long behind me when all I do is download, watch and then trash.
I haven't had any problems playing my downloaded movies/TV shows (even HD) with Mobo player. And when Samsung releases TouchWiz media playback will only get better.
I haven't figured out the correct sizing for ripped dvds (I'm sure its in one of these forums somewhere) but the movies that I have copied over look great and play well. They are just not full screen.
Sent from my GT-P7510 using XDA Premium App
bbeelzebub said:
I'm going to Best Buy here in a few... I know I'll fall in love with the GT 10.1. I really like the idea of the Archos, but...... the wait is killing me.
I'm not looking to view DVD quality movies on my tab. I'm not looking to encode anything. My house is wired up so that I can access all my files wirelessly throughout anyhow... I just want something that when I toss on a DIVX, AVI, ETC, standard 1gb file that I stole from the internet (um, I mean legally download) that it will play when I'm out and about, etc. My Droid Incredible plays most any file I put on it so I'm hoping the same from this tablet?
Any huge problems? I have little patience and my days of encoding things are long behind me when all I do is download, watch and then trash.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got GT10.1 last night. I was going to get the transformer, but I did a little comparison in Best Buy. I played the same Youtube HD Music video on both tablets. The Asus playback was skip and wasnt totally smooth. The GT was totally smooth so I went with the Sammy.
Thanks for the input!
I picked up a tab a bit ago, time to charge it and let the fun begin!
Now, I hope the Archos G9 sucks major donkey balls, so that way I don't get buyers remourse! LOL
After fiddling with all the other tablets at Best Buy and Fry's, I was really impressed with how light the GT 10.1 is. Maybe I was just feeling lazy, but that alone made me want it. It feels so nice in hand. Better than the iPad 2 that I had and returned.
crazed_z06 said:
I got GT10.1 last night. I was going to get the transformer, but I did a little comparison in Best Buy. I played the same Youtube HD Music video on both tablets. The Asus playback was skip and wasnt totally smooth. The GT was totally smooth so I went with the Sammy.
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Click to collapse
The TF at bestbuy is on 3.0. Theres no issue when its on 3.1
dazz87 said:
The TF at bestbuy is on 3.0. Theres no issue when its on 3.1
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Click to collapse
There does seem to be a problem with Flash video on the TF, as it appears that hardware acceleration is not enabled.
I'd expect that to be fixed soon though.
Regards,
Dave
It won't play mkv files. So, i've been ripping my videos to m4v format. If the source file is at a high enough resolution, i use 1280 x 720 at 1200kbs. I get a pretty good picture and a movie will be around 800MB to 1GB?
Sent from my SGT 10.1
#1 - I can't play the movie via my HDMI port. I rented Fast Five from the Market, and the trailer that is on the market (first 10min or so of the movie) plays fine via HDMI, but the actual movie does not. Is that some form of copy protection that was put there by the movie studios???
#2 - I'm unable to skip to different parts of the movie. It tries and after a minute or so I get error 1004. The only way to see the movie again is to start from the very beginning at 0:00
So, has anyone with a Transformer tried to rent movies from Android Market and has or has HOT that same problems??? And if you did and you fixed them, how did you do it.
Thank you.
Yes I've seen these same issues during my one time rental with Google. Indeed you copy protection prohibits the use of the HDMI port.
I think the HDMI can work, but you need the right cable and TV. It didn't work for me with my TV and cable
ramcreekman said:
Yes I've seen these same issues during my one time rental with Google. Indeed you copy protection prohibits the use of the HDMI port.
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Click to collapse
HDMI out works with Google movies, some tvs have issues with the copyright protection though and won't work right. There is a kernel that fixes this though.
OP do you have a Panasonic?
Toast95135 said:
HDMI out works with Google movies, some tvs have issues with the copyright protection though and won't work right. There is a kernel that fixes this though.
OP do you have a Panasonic?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No. It's a sony. Which kernel fixes it?
And what about the #2 question. Has anyone else been able to skip to a different area of the movie and have it work?
Toast95135 said:
HDMI out works with Google movies, some tvs have issues with the copyright protection though and won't work right. There is a kernel that fixes this though.
OP do you have a Panasonic?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here. I have a panasonic plasma at it does not work. Netflix and youtube work fine. I wish this would work with my tv.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I997 using xda premium
trouzzermouse said:
Same here. I have a panasonic plasma at it does not work. Netflix and youtube work fine. I wish this would work with my tv.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I997 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm still not convinced that it is a Transformer issue. The movie studios have this set up to not output to the HDMI port. When I bought my Vibrant it came with the movie avatar. Same thing happened there, and it wasn't even HDMI. It was standard video/audio. But the movie will not play though the audio/video port. The screen was blank even though the phone screen was playing the movie. And yes, youtube works fine, even playing the 10min trailer from Android Market Movies works fine. It's just the actual purchased movie (in this case Fast Five).
And unless someone shows up here, that has rented a Google Movie and he/she played it out of the HDMI port, and tell us how he did it, I'm going to think that Movie studios have a copyright system to not play out of HDMI.
larryvand said:
I'm still not convinced that it is a Transformer issue. The movie studios have this set up to not output to the HDMI port. When I bought my Vibrant it came with the movie avatar. Same thing happened there, and it wasn't even HDMI. It was standard video/audio. But the movie will not play though the audio/video port. The screen was blank even though the phone screen was playing the movie. And yes, youtube works fine, even playing the 10min trailer from Android Market Movies works fine. It's just the actual purchased movie (in this case Fast Five).
And unless someone shows up here, that has rented a Google Movie and he/she played it out of the HDMI port, and tell us how he did it, I'm going to think that Movie studios have a copyright system to not play out of HDMI.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I will try it out on my other samsung plasma this weekend and see what happens.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using xda premium
It *is* an issue with the TF. Do some Googling for Xoom or Galaxy Tab, Google Videos, and HDMI. All the other devices work great for outputting rented movies over HDMI.
Sent from my Transformer TF101
Gary13579 said:
It *is* an issue with the TF. Do some Googling for Xoom or Galaxy Tab, Google Videos, and HDMI. All the other devices work great for outputting rented movies over HDMI.
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Click to collapse
Nope. Xoom can NOT play via HDMI legitimate rented movies from the market. They get a red X
http://androidforums.com/motorola-x...t-movies-hdmi-display-shows-red-x-screen.html
When you read that someone says they can, you need to figure out if they are talking ripped movies instead of the real thing. The Xoom can NOT play legitimate movies via HDMI.
Along these lines, I watched the trailer of Fast Five and was thinking of renting it but I thought I read somewhere if you were rooted then you couldn't download movies. True?
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk
sdelliott31 said:
Along these lines, I watched the trailer of Fast Five and was thinking of renting it but I thought I read somewhere if you were rooted then you couldn't download movies. True?
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
AFAIK not true...
I rented a Google Movie once, and I'll never do it again unless this changes.
I rented it, tried playing it via HDMI which of course didn't work, so then I decided we could just watch it on my laptop... once I went to YouTube to watch it, it said "Sorry, you already started it on your tablet, you have to finish watching it there".
So, my fiancee and I ended up watching a movie on the 10.1" Transformer screen, with sound only coming out of the right speaker to top things off!
I love this thing, but not for watching movies without headphones.
hotelmode said:
I rented a Google Movie once, and I'll never do it again unless this changes.
I rented it, tried playing it via HDMI which of course didn't work, so then I decided we could just watch it on my laptop... once I went to YouTube to watch it, it said "Sorry, you already started it on your tablet, you have to finish watching it there".
So, my fiancee and I ended up watching a movie on the 10.1" Transformer screen, with sound only coming out of the right speaker to top things off!
I love this thing, but not for watching movies without headphones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There's a fix for audio imbalance in the dev forum.
Sent from my Transformer TF101
The problem i have it once i stop the movie and go to start it again it will never start i have to restart the movie to get it to start to play its such a pain in the butt and i cant even skip around at all.
trouzzermouse said:
I will try it out on my other samsung plasma this weekend and see what happens.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tried on 2 newer samsung plasmas with no luck. My neighbor has the new 7" acer and google videos did not work either. I get sound just no video. When watching on the tab i have had issues with starting the video again once it is stopped ( even if i download the video)
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using xda premium
cable types?
I'm seeing the same issue with my TF only when playing google videos. A quick look through the google help suggests it should work but it specifically mentions hdmi cable type D to type A...
I can't post a link but if you open the videos android app, go to help a read the "watching movies on your HDTV" it certainly suggests it should work. It's either a TF issue or a cable type issue. I know the cable I bought is type C. Anyone know about cable types and whether it's worth looking for type D to type A?
Toast95135 said:
HDMI out works with Google movies, some tvs have issues with the copyright protection though and won't work right. There is a kernel that fixes this though.
OP do you have a Panasonic?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pardon my amateur question but does TF101 HDMI not output to a Panasonic plasma? I encountered this issue before and was puzzled as to why the HDMI would work with a Westinghouse, but not the Panasonic. Is there a cause, or a fix that I can deploy on my end? Appreciate the feedback, thanks!
You can use process of elimination...download any video file outside of google videos and play from any other media app like mobo player. If it works through hdmi output, then its google videos not pushing it through hdmi out. If it still doesnt work, then you have a possible hardware probem...cable, tv, TF, etc.
HBOGO, MAXGO do the same thing, you can only watch on the tablet, copyright issues per HBO, CINEMAX
I use them on my Galaxy Tab 7, they don't have a Honeycomb versions yet
Sent from my SPH-P100 using Tapatalk
Im considering purchasing an Iconia Tab, spec wise it's a decent all around tablet. What I want is how well will this supplement the rest of my household and mobile devices, can I use this as a fill in for my bulky lap top when I decide to not carry it around, how well will this stream videos across the hdmi port to my tv rather than buying another box for my entertainment system. Just info in general is what I seek, and who better to ask than you guys.
Yes this device is awesome.. Streaming thru hdmi does work . I have done so with much success .Thou there are limitations.. READ THE FIRST STICKY Thread . by Wearcat.. she is awesome with this type of stuff .
as far as other things ..
things i use my tablet for
only thing i check email on.
browser forums
web site stuff google music and can browser my home network from anywhere
GPS
so it can replace most of the things you HAVE TO DO Short of editing images and major documents typing is not great on the tab unless you plug in a keyboard ..
i would say if your buying a tablet get this one over the available tablets.. or wait until tegra 3 comes out.. but waiting will be more costly new tech is not cheap
Not really looking for something to completely repalce my lap top as of yet, granted I havent turned it on really in months other than to charge one of my phones from time to time. Acer to me seems to build a reliable product, I have 2 17" laptops, and I purchased two Acer netbooks for my children. It looks like it would be a great supplement to the rest of my android fleet as well. Really just need something that I can take when I travel light, read emails, check my google voice, read books, watch a video here or there, more or less something to replace some dutie of my phone while at home and to replace some duties of my laptop while away. Will probly use it as gps too since its got a bigger screen would look great mounted in my truck OOOH better yet remove my radio and install bluetooth speakers with a custom built dash mount.
garringm said:
how well will this stream videos across the hdmi port to my tv rather than buying another box for my entertainment system. Just info in general is what I seek, and who better to ask than you guys.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you live in the US you're in for a treat as you can use Google Videos for renting and streaming movies and Google Music to store all your songs there and streaming them too so you don't have to use tablet's own storage space for them.
And yes, displaying videos through HDMI works just fine, though there are several limitations. Like for example, you will only get 720p output if you use non-default player, the default player is AFAIK the only one that can do 1080p output, but then again the default player doesn't support .MKV files or subtitles or anything.
As for actual movies themselves: the tablet only supports 1080p basic-profile, meaning that you will have to transcode almost everything you might already have. Not to mention that the tablet also doesn't handle AC3 audio, so again you will have to downmix audio first before you transfer the file to the tablet.
You have to decide for yourself if it's worth the hassle, but I would personally suggest getting a Tegra3 - based tablet instead even though it's more expensive, just to save you from the hassle from having to transcode everything. It really is a terribly hassle if you are a film buff like myself.
WereCatf said:
If you live in the US you're in for a treat as you can use Google Videos for renting and streaming movies and Google Music to store all your songs there and streaming them too so you don't have to use tablet's own storage space for them.
And yes, displaying videos through HDMI works just fine, though there are several limitations. Like for example, you will only get 720p output if you use non-default player, the default player is AFAIK the only one that can do 1080p output, but then again the default player doesn't support .MKV files or subtitles or anything.
As for actual movies themselves: the tablet only supports 1080p basic-profile, meaning that you will have to transcode almost everything you might already have. Not to mention that the tablet also doesn't handle AC3 audio, so again you will have to downmix audio first before you transfer the file to the tablet.
You have to decide for yourself if it's worth the hassle, but I would personally suggest getting a Tegra3 - based tablet instead even though it's more expensive, just to save you from the hassle from having to transcode everything. It really is a terribly hassle if you are a film buff like myself.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not a big movie buff, just like to watch them, and really for me watching a movie on it would be a once in a blue moon thing and not a big deal breaker. Most typically stream movies through my xbox, and my tv only plays at 720p so no 1080 for me as of yet. I did read your thread about the handbrake looks involved but not extremely advanced difficult. Thanks for your input think Ill go with this until the tegra 3 comes out then weigh my options then. Maybe by then Ill be able to get a new TV to compliment a new tablet.
And seriously you edited your post because of a missing semicolon? I bet it pains you to read the gibberish I just typed.
garringm said:
Not a big movie buff, just like to watch them, and really for me watching a movie on it would be a once in a blue moon thing and not a big deal breaker. Most typically stream movies through my xbox, and my tv only plays at 720p so no 1080 for me as of yet. I did read your thread about the handbrake looks involved but not extremely advanced difficult. Thanks for your input think Ill go with this until the tegra 3 comes out then weigh my options then. Maybe by then Ill be able to get a new TV to compliment a new tablet.
And seriously you edited your post because of a missing semicolon? I bet it pains you to read the gibberish I just typed.
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Click to collapse
Yes she does...I think its so cute.her and a few of the guys are on me often for my lack of typing and spelling skills.
But they loves me so i not cry too often. Giggles.
The post for using Handbrake to convert the vids has worked perfectly fine on all the videos I have had to convert and is much easier to do than the instructions make it sound. The instructions are actually just really detailed, so there's less to do than what you read.
One of my favorite uses now for the tablet... I have a Super Nintendo again!. I finally got a wired generic PS3 remote, using some SNES emulator (forgot which), connected to my TV over HDMI, and some, um... "backed up" SNES games and BAM, full SNES center again. I am such a nerd for "The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past".
Also, when I'm feeling really lazy, I use TeamViewer to remote into my HTPC and use it as my wireless keyboard/mouse. AND, if you have a Sony Media Streamer, there is a Android app to allow you to control your N100 or N200 from the tablet. Oh, and I read a lot of eBooks on it.
All in all, just as you mentioned, this tablet is a great "supplement", and since I never have the need for heavy duty computing while on the go, the tablet is all I've ever needed when I am not home. The main reason for me choosing this one ovr the others was the built in ports such as the miniUSB, USB, HDMI, and audio ports. Yeah those may have added a little girth and heft to the device, but those were bonuses for me instead of getting a device where you need to buy different adapters to have the same ports.
garringm said:
Not a big movie buff, just like to watch them, and really for me watching a movie on it would be a once in a blue moon thing and not a big deal breaker. Most typically stream movies through my xbox, and my tv only plays at 720p so no 1080 for me as of yet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Then you should have no issues A500 works just fine for streaming movies, too, though there is no DLNA client on it by default. You can install one from the Market anyways so it's not such a huge issue.
I did read your thread about the handbrake looks involved but not extremely advanced difficult.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It actually isn't all that difficult, I just rather write too much than too little when writing a guide or tutorial. Basically import profile, select file and press Start
And seriously you edited your post because of a missing semicolon? I bet it pains you to read the gibberish I just typed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Aye. I sometimes obsess quite a bit over proper punctuation and spelling. But then again, it's not a bad quality for someone who often writes guides, tutorials or tries to help people on the Internets
Well I bought it last night and I gotta say what an amazing piece of hardware. I havent found a feature yet that I dislike. Seems to have ample computing power for what I need, and the display is fairly decent sems a little washed out on the white side but still good. Thanks for everyones help.
Read twice flash once.!!!!!!!
your very welcome thank everyone by reading before flashing so that you don't mess the tablet up.
Something that im guessing is easily done.
Flashed mine 30or so times and never bricked thou close once.
Man.... almost grounds for visiting a "dating" site....
What ever happened to "brute force"?
No, we have to have "correct" punctuation here... Wani wani wani...
Just get the tab. For the money, you will not find a finer device.
Or a better lot of people to support it
I just bought mine a couple of days ago and I am very happy with it. Trying to read as much as I can before the rooting process begins.... You will be happy with it.
OUYA Console by Ouya
Permalink: http://amzn.com/B0050SZD18
VS
G-Box Midnight MX2 Android 4.2 Jelly Bean Dual Core XBMC Streaming Mini HTPC TV Box Player by Matricom
Permalink: http://amzn.com/B00CH643A8
Which one should I go for guys, especially in terms of hardware. Tegra 3 vs A9+Mali400, apparently both have no issues with XBMC or 1080P playback. I do not plan to use either for games, mostly media and music and dowload box. If it doesn't matter, I might go for the MX2 as there are more connectivity options there.
I think that, in terms of brute force, Tegra 3 overhelms A9+Mali400. OUYA bears the last Tegra3 revision and, theoretically, NVIDIA works with OUYA Team to boost it up.
If you buy OUYA, you gain a Bluetooth controller for the same prize which can be used as remote.
At, the end, nobody knows if OUYA nor G-Box thing will have support from the scene, which, for me, is a key value.
I'd say if you're not interested in gaming, I'd go with the G-box. The ouya is marketed as a game console, and while they may add support for some media features in the future, for right now we're busting our tails trying to get better compatibility with the play store apps. the G-box is designed as a media player, and it already supports XBMC with some great reviews. It also includes the play store, so you can easily download the latest versions of netflix, hulu, etc.
Cool, I think that settles it for me, I wasn't aware that the regular playstore apps wouldn't work on the ouya. I will get an MX2 and post a review soon. Also it helps that I can connect a few spare portable hard drives and use this as a streaming box to other TVs in the house.
Didn't mean to mislead, because some play store apps will work. However, a lot don't, or are glitchy or crash occasionally, and they all have to be sideloaded because there is no play store access at all yet...
The gbox is pretty good. I have had it for a few days now and use my Logitech keyboard that also has a touch pad. It works great. Honestly, I would probably hate it if I didn't have the keyboard. The play store works perfectly. I haven't had a problem installing any apps. It is fully rooted. There has been a few times when it has restarted but it is android, it isn't perfect. Especially for 100 bucks. External hard drive works great but sometimes loses power. I don't think the gbox puts off enough juice. A powered hub would fix this issue. I wish there was development for the gbox but metronix or however you spell it won't release source.
Sent from my SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2
ouya vs mx2
plasmafire said:
OUYA Console by Ouya
Permalink: http://amzn.com/B0050SZD18
VS
G-Box Midnight MX2 Android 4.2 Jelly Bean Dual Core XBMC Streaming Mini HTPC TV Box Player by Matricom
Permalink: http://amzn.com/B00CH643A8
Which one should I go for guys, especially in terms of hardware. Tegra 3 vs A9+Mali400, apparently both have no issues with XBMC or 1080P playback. I do not plan to use either for games, mostly media and music and dowload box. If it doesn't matter, I might go for the MX2 as there are more connectivity options there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well i have the G-Box MX2 i love it but it died on me. Wont boot up, stuck on the Matricom Screen. I love all the usb it has, was even able to use my Logitech Revue K700 Kb and add a 2TB WD Passport to it with an SDcard. But i think it needs a Quadcore to be a lil more fluid for video. I will return it to get the ouya. Dont like the fact that the Ouya has only one USB port but you cant have everything i guess. i hope the Ouya gets the same XBMC support as the G-box. Only had it for 17 days died on day 14 . Tried the reset option but that didnt work. Maybe it was my box. But when it worked it was awsome.
I'm actually going to be doing a review on the MX2 today and uploading it tonight, I'll be comparing it's gaming features to the Ouya and stuff.
Spoiler alert, the Ouya is way ****ing better.
EDIT: Vid's up, see the Ouya destroy the MX2 for yourself.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miTst6QE-34
Interesting topic. I was also looking at the Gbox before I pre-ordered the Ouya. I think the Tegra 3 on the Ouya would do a better job on graphics than the dual core Gbox Midnight. It's not just processor speed and number of cores, but also graphics processor. Plus, the bluetooth on the Ouya means one less USB dongle to plug in.
I went with the Ouya, hoping the hard working people on XDA will get a pure Android ROM for the Ouya soon. If I'm stuck with the Ouya's Android skin, it'd probably be an even split which way I'd go.
I saw the "XIOS DS Media Play" and considered it against the Ouya. I think these box with out of the box rooted + Play Store compatibility is better for the majority, especially non-geeks who don't want to fiddle flashing/etc. Not having PlayStore is still a big flaw for the Ouya in term of satisfying a wider audience imo.
For me the Ouya is the clear choice, it have a dedicated XDA forum section for a reason, it will get more community development and for sure the Ouya will likely get CyanogenMod and other roms, while its less likely with these other Android boxes.
For hardware performance the Tegra3 will be faster than these dual core 1.5GHz A9 with Mali-400 gpu.
If you are looking for a lot of gaming then the Ouya is the way to go, otherwise get one of these Cortex A9 boxes if you only need video playback. There will be some of these boxes that will exceed the Ouya in term of performance in no time, but the Ouya have XDA community that's the key for me. This is the case for all Android devices that I buy.
Went for the gbox for now as a no hassle xbmc box. What you mentioned is absolutely right that the ouya will overtake all these boxes as soon as a rom gets out. I will just wait for that to happen and maybe a tegra 4 device will happen too by then.
Thanks for all the insight guys.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
Axelben said:
Well i have the G-Box MX2 i love it but it died on me. Wont boot up, stuck on the Matricom Screen. I love all the usb it has, was even able to use my Logitech Revue K700 Kb and add a 2TB WD Passport to it with an SDcard. But i think it needs a Quadcore to be a lil more fluid for video. I will return it to get the ouya. Dont like the fact that the Ouya has only one USB port but you cant have everything i guess. i hope the Ouya gets the same XBMC support as the G-box. Only had it for 17 days died on day 14 . Tried the reset option but that didnt work. Maybe it was my box. But when it worked it was awsome.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just ordered the Gbox MX 2 and have a Logitech Revue KB - how do I get the two to talk?
plasmafire said:
Went for the gbox for now as a no hassle xbmc box. What you mentioned is absolutely right that the ouya will overtake all these boxes as soon as a rom gets out. I will just wait for that to happen and maybe a tegra 4 device will happen too by then.
Thanks for all the insight guys.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is an interesting direct comparison between Ouya and the G-box Midnight MX2.
http://www.amazon.com/review/R35SEI3ONB5SCK/ref=cm_cr_pr_viewpnt#R35SEI3ONB5SCK
It didn't make the Midnight look very good. The Ouya emulator games seem to work really well in the video. The Midnight had issues with games and 1080P videos, and the emulator games on the Midnight ran slow. The reviewer also couldn't get bluetooth adapters to work, so could use a PS2 wireless controller. Granted, this is just one person's attempt to use the Midnight box, maybe other people have overcome these issues with some setting changes.
Yep the guy is playing games and using plex..both of which the mx2 doesn't do well. I am just going to have it boot into xbmc launcher. Run utorrent with rss feeds from showrss in the background. And maybe run droidnas on it. I have seen logitech mini keyboards work so that is what I'll get.
coachclass said:
This is an interesting direct comparison between Ouya and the G-box Midnight MX2.
http://www.amazon.com/review/R35SEI3ONB5SCK/ref=cm_cr_pr_viewpnt#R35SEI3ONB5SCK
It didn't make the Midnight look very good. The Ouya emulator games seem to work really well in the video. The Midnight had issues with games and 1080P videos, and the emulator games on the Midnight ran slow.
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Click to collapse
Yea, I keep getting torn one way or the other every day when I see a review that is posted.
My primary use for either device will not be for games at all. 100% streaming media playback from either my local nas or sites like youtube, amazon vod, etc...
I also won't be using Plex and instead be going with XBMC.
As for Plex... the above video review showed some really bad stuttering while playing 1080p video. On Android, is Plex using its own decoder for playback or does it offload it to MX Player? I ask because when streaming any of my local 1080i content (wirelessly) to my Xoom tablet, it plays back in MX Player flawlessly.
So is the MX2 video stuttering in the video review a fault of the hardware or Plex software?
SamsungBlue said:
Just ordered the Gbox MX 2 and have a Logitech Revue KB - how do I get the two to talk?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes you can use the Revue KB. Just buy the Unity USB. You will be able to use it anywhere.
mkhopper said:
Yea, I keep getting torn one way or the other every day when I see a review that is posted.
My primary use for either device will not be for games at all. 100% streaming media playback from either my local nas or sites like youtube, amazon vod, etc...
I also won't be using Plex and instead be going with XBMC.
As for Plex... the above video review showed some really bad stuttering while playing 1080p video. On Android, is Plex using its own decoder for playback or does it offload it to MX Player? I ask because when streaming any of my local 1080i content (wirelessly) to my Xoom tablet, it plays back in MX Player flawlessly.
So is the MX2 video stuttering in the video review a fault of the hardware or Plex software?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This was my video. The settings I was using in Plex on both devices was to use the hardware to decode and playback the videos. The MX2's hardware just simply isnt nearly good enough to rely on for high resolution video playback, and on top of that there's some really annoying kinks with it like no bluetooth support at all and a very fussy keyboard input system that really sucks compared to stock android and what the Ouya uses.There's also a higher res version of the review on youtube, I linked to it on the first page of this thread towards the bottom.
Just got my MX2 today. I was quite apprehensive after reading some of the comments, but I must say that after using it for a while.. it is exactly what I needed. I am not saying it is better than ouya, but I have XBMC setup with all my local media and video plugins. It works like a charm. I will not play any games on it so I don't really care about the gaming performance.
All programs installed from Play store work
Full 1080p videos play no issues on xbmc.
Torrents are download via showrss to my xbmc monitored directory.
USB hard drive 1TB western digital is powered via the usb ports and shared via droid nas
Quick video 1080p: http://youtu.be/vQ6FvGtKbEw
mkhopper said:
Yea, I keep getting torn one way or the other every day when I see a review that is posted.
My primary use for either device will not be for games at all. 100% streaming media playback from either my local nas or sites like youtube, amazon vod, etc...
I also won't be using Plex and instead be going with XBMC.
As for Plex... the above video review showed some really bad stuttering while playing 1080p video. On Android, is Plex using its own decoder for playback or does it offload it to MX Player? I ask because when streaming any of my local 1080i content (wirelessly) to my Xoom tablet, it plays back in MX Player flawlessly.
So is the MX2 video stuttering in the video review a fault of the hardware or Plex software?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
not sure if plex has the issue xbmc for ouya has at the moment but after the new firmware update last week most of my videos have stuttering seems like a framerate issue I reported it to ouya and they got back to me saying they are aware of the issue and are working on it. Before that update my videos were playing smooth.
plasmafire said:
Yes you can use the Revue KB. Just buy the Unity USB. You will be able to use it anywhere.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. There seems to be quite a few "Unity" USB recovers from Logitech. I couldn't find one that listed the Revue KB as a compatible device. Would any of those Unity receivers that work with other Logitech KBs or mice work? Seems like there are several in the $10-15 range. I appreciate your help.